Tony Hibbert says Everton wins are a way to stay fresh

Everton 2 West Bromwich Albion 0

TONY HIBBERT: Everton rightback says his team-mates are confident while they are winning (Getty Images)

The defender Tony Hibbert says that fatigue will not be a problem for Everton as long as they keep winning. Saturday's 2-0 victory over West Brom, thanks to a Gareth McAuley own goal and Victor Anichebe's first goal at Goodison Park since August 2007, was Everton's third win in a week. It ended a run of eight matches in 29 days and the manager, David Moyes, said he thought his players looked physically and mentally tired.

But with five games coming up in 22 days, including an FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool, Hibbert is confident.

"Going into the game we were doing everything we could training-wise and with rehab and the lads were feeling all right," said the right-back. "Once you get into the game you do feel you are low down on energy; we have had eight games this month so there is going to be a fitness issue. But winning games means the confidence takes over that.

"The lads were confident going into the game and although we had a sticky first half, in the second half we showed what we could do."

Moyes said: "It was a great victory after the week we have had – fantastic. It has been a very good week. It is not easy to win three in a row and with three clean sheets too, which is even better."

Match details

Everton: HOWARD 6/10, HIBBERT 6, JAGIELKA 7, HEITINGA 7, BAINES 7, OSMAN 7, GIBSON 6, FELLAINI 7, PIENAAR 8, CAHILL 6, JELAVIC 6

WBA: FOSTER 6, RIDGEWELL 6, OLSSON 6, McAULEY 6, JONES 6, TCHOYI 5, ANDREWS 5, SCHARNER 6, BRUNT 6, LONG 5, ODEMWINGIE 5

Scorers: Everton McAuley og 18, Anichebe 68.

Substitutes: Everton Gueye 5 (Osman, h-t), Anichebe 6 (Cahill, 63), McFadden (Jelavic, 87). West Bromwich Dorrans 5 (Scharner, 67), Fortune 5 (Tchoyi, 73), Cox (Brunt, 78).

Booked: Everton Jelavic, Cahill. West Bromwich Olsson.

Man of the match Pienaar. Match rating 5/10.

Possession: Everton 56% West Bromwich 44%.

Attempts on target: Everton 9 West Bromwich 5.

Referee P Walton (Northamptonshire).

Attendance 32,051.